(IDEX Online) - DRC Techno, a company focused on diamond identification technology, has added the J-Mini and the J-Detect 9000 to its growing inventory of lab-grown diamond technology. The J-Mini is designed for over-the-counter use while J-Detect 9000 is made for larger applications. Both machines make identification conclusions based on a diamond's phosphorescent and photoluminescent proper...Read More
JOHANNESBURG – South African mining output increased for the first time in nine months in July as coal and iron-ore production surged.Mining production rose 2.4% from a year earlier compared with a revised 4.1% decline in June, Pretoria-based Statistics South Africa said in a report on its website Thursday. The median estimate of five economists in a Bloomberg survey was for a 1% increase.Ad...Read More
Aim-listed Botswana Diamonds’ associate, Vutomi, has been granted an environmental authorisation over a substantial portion of the residual diamond-bearing gravels produced from the high-grade Marsfontein mine, which is contiguous to the Thorny River operation, in South Africa’s Limpopo province.In a statement on Thursday, Botswana Diamonds highlighted that this authorisation was a cri...Read More
RAPAPORT... Martin Rapaport hascalled for more effective marketing of diamond jewelry and a $1 billion global campaign promoting natural-diamond engagement rings. Speaking at the 18thParis Gemmological Rendez Vous on September 9, Rapaport, chairman of theRapaport Group, said current generic marketing efforts did not go far enough. Miners,supported by brands, must step up to the plate to reach out...Read More
RAPAPORT... The 24 Karat Club will recognize three industry members fortheir work in the trade at its 2019 annual gala, it said Monday. Terry Chandler, CEO of the Diamond Council of America (DCA),will receive the group's Lifetime Achievement Award on October 12 for his years of work onbehalf of the diamond industry. He was instrumental in gaining reaccreditationfor the DCA from the Distance E...Read More
RAPAPORT... Belgium's diamond trade continued its decline in August, withrough and polished shipments slowing. Polished exports slumped 34%, reflectinglower volumes and a steep drop in the average price, according to data from theAntwerp World Diamond Centre. Imports and exports have fallen since the startof the year amid an oversupply in the midstream and weak demand from diamondmanufacturers....Read More
(IDEX Online) - Despite an anticipated 9 percent increase in demand for platinum in 2019, demand for the precious metal for jewelry fell 5 percent in the second quarter of the year.Demand for platinum for jewelry fell 30 koz year-on-year. The World Platinum Investment Council (WPIC) said this drop was due to a continued decline in Chinese demand.WPIC said total platinum supply is expected to...Read More
(IDEX Online) - The price of gold could reach $2,000 within the next two years - a record high - according to New York-based Citigroup. The surge is due to fading US economic growth, interest rates cuts, uncertainty about the upcoming presidential elections and a weakening economy. According to the World Gold Council, strong central bank buying is also boosting gold prices. Prices last passed the...Read More
(IDEX Online) - Alrosa's combined rough and polished diamond sales totalled $181.8 million in August. Rough diamond sales by value amounted to $180.2 million with polished diamond sales falling to just $1.5 million. Despite the second-weakest month of the year, the results were an improvement on July when total sales totalled $170.5 million. For the first time since 2010, August sales outperf...Read More
Zimbabwe’s State-owned Minerals Marketing Corporation opened a 316 000 ct diamond auction, which will close at the end of the week, an official said.“This is the third auction we have conducted this year as there were some administrative issues which were taking place within the organization," MMCZ’s GM Tongai Muzenda said by phone on Wednesday. The last auction was held in...Read More
RAPAPORT... Alrosa's sales fell 38% year on year to $181.8 million in August, as weakness in the market persisted. However, the result was an improvement on last month's$170.5 million, the miner's weakest figure since it began releasing data in 2016. It's also the firsttime since 2010 that August proceeds were higher than in July, Evgeny Agureev,director of Alrosa's United Selling Organi...Read More
RAPAPORT... Signet Jewelers has appointed Neil Old as managing directorof its UK operations, where he will lead the team in implementing the Path toBrilliance program. Old, who will oversee the company's British businessesincluding H. Samuel and Ernest Jones, was previously CEO of photographicspecialty retailer Jessops Europe Limited, David Bouffard, Signet's vicepresident of corporate affair...Read More
RAPAPORT... Stornoway Diamond Corporation's major lenders have agreed to take over the company amid mounting debts that prompted the miner to file for protection from creditors.The owner of the Renard mine in Quebec is seeking torestructure under the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA), a programsimilar to Chapter 11 in the US. It allows businesses in financial distress to rearrangeth...Read More
RAPAPORT... James Avery Artisan Jewelry has named John McCullough as CEO- the first non-family member to lead the Texas-based retailer. McCullough, who was previously chief operating officer (COO),succeeds Chris Avery, who has been CEO since September 2007 and willstay on as chairman. James Avery will remain under private ownership, and willnot explore a public stock offering or a sale, the compa...Read More
(IDEX Online) - GIA (Gemological Institute of America) has released a software update for its iD100 gem-testing device. The upgrade means the instrument can distinguish natural pink diamonds from laboratory-grown (HPHT and CVD) diamonds and diamond simulants. GIA also released a free update to the existing GIA iD100 software with the expanded capability to screen blue-to-green and brown diamonds....Read More
(IDEX Online) - The International Diamond Manufacturers Association (IDMA) and the Dubai Diamond Exchange (DDE) will hold a roadshow of current diamond identification and detection technology at the upcoming 21st Presidents Meeting. During the roadshow, which is supported by the Diamond Producers Association (DPA), delegates and participants will get hands-on experience with the identification and...Read More
(IDEX Online) - Osisko Gold Royalties Ltd. has signed a deal to buy Stornoway Diamond Corporation with the help of the mining companies secured creditors. The Canadian miner yesterday received protection under the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act in order to restructure its business and financial affairs. Under the terms of a signed Letter of Intent (LOI), Osisko and Stornoway secured cre...Read More
RAPAPORT... Alrosa's sales fell 38% year on year to $181.8 million in August, as weakness in the market persisted. However, the result was an improvement on last month's$170.5 million, the miner's weakest figure since it began releasing data in 2016. It's also the firsttime since 2010 that August proceeds were higher than in July, Evgeny Agureev,director of Alrosa's United Selling Organi...Read More
RAPAPORT... Signet Jewelers has appointed Neil Old as managing directorof its UK operations, where he will lead the team in implementing the Path toBrilliance program. Old, who will oversee the company's British businessesincluding H. Samuel and Ernest Jones, was previously CEO of photographicspecialty retailer Jessops Europe Limited, David Bouffard, Signet's vicepresident of corporate affair...Read More
Pangolin Diamonds on Monday closed a nonbrokered private placement financing for aggregated gross proceeds of $848 860.The proceeds will be used to continue exploration at the company’s wholly owned exploration projects in Botswana, including the Phase 1 drilling programme at MSC, the company’s advanced-stage exploration project.AdvertisementDrilling is set to begin in quarter four of...Read More